Behind the Scenes
by screwtherulesihavmoney
Summary: We all know the drama on TDA, but what about the drama we didn't see? This is the all the drama that happened... behind the scenes. BridgettexDJxGwen, other pairings inside
1. The Aftermath II

You're probably wondering why I'm writing a new story on Thanksgiving, but I had to get away from my family. THEY"RE ALL CRAZY!!!!!!!!!! um, anyway, this is a bout a love triangle between DJxBridgette and DJxGwen, two of my favorite couples. Who will he be with? You decide! I'll be putting a poll on my profile, so vote on how you want DJ to be with. Enjoy!

**Main Pairing: **BridgettexDJxGwen

**Side Pairings: **one-sided GeoffxBridgette, OwenxIzzyxEzekiel, NoahxCourtney, LeShawnaxHaroldxHeather, TrentxLindsay, mentions of TrentxGwen (As you can probably tell, I like love triangles)

Disclaimer: I do not own TDI/A/M

* * *

Bridgette walked down the halls of the hotel, her hands in her hoodie pocket as she tried to think of something cheerful. It was a game that her mom and her used to play, based on a game from _Pollyanna, _her mom's favorite book. _Mom. _If she was here, she'd know what to do. Even if she didn't, she would still feel better, with her best friend by her side.

She had just finished talking to Geoff about his new attitude. He seemed completely oblivious to what she was talking about, but he agreed to change. But she wasn't sure what he would change to: back to her Geoff, or a worse version of his new self.

It was so difficult. Back on Total Drama Island, she had been sure that Geoff was her soul mate. Sure, sometimes he had said some strange things, like, "Wow, you pitch a tent like a guy!", but she felt so loved when she was with him, and was ecstatic when he got voted off and they had their first kiss at Playa De Losers. She could still remember it....

_The losers gathered on the dock, wondering about who would be joining them. I stared as hard as I could into the night, as if trying to make the boat appear sooner. I almost wished it wouldn't. It was so sad to see someone fresh from the island, knowing they had lost 100 grand. But sure enough, moments later, a dark shape appeared in the darkness. As it came closer I recognized the boy standing in it._

_"Geoff!" I yelled running to the end of the dock. I admit, I was a bit disappointed, since he had been my number one choice to win, but still, he was here!_

_"Bridge!" he called, jumping of the boat and enveloping me a giant hug._

_"Oh, I missed you so much!" I cried._

_"Same here, babe." He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Wanna finish what we started before you left the island?"_

_I giggled "Sure."_

_He leaned down. I stood up. And our mouths met in one, perfect kiss._

That first kiss had felt magical and passionate. After his elimination, Geoff and her started kissing more and more until that was all they did together. And the kisses never felt as good as the first one. They were still intense, just kind of... boring. And now Geoff had changed from the sweet party dude she had fallen for, and into Captain Hollywood. Bridgette wasn't sure how she felt anymore.

_All her cares about are his looks! _Bridgette thought. _It'd be nice to find a real man..._

Then, coming from ahead of her, she heard faint humming. Bridgette walked towards the sound and found herself in a kitchen where DJ was chopping up tomatoes.

"Whoa, when did we get a kitchen?" Bridgette said, looking around. She had never seen it before.

DJ shrugged. "I don't know. But the demand for sandwiches has gone way up, so... here I am!"

"Here you are!" She laughed, thinking of what a stupid thing that was to say. "Do you want some help?"

"Can you cook?" he asked, but Bridgette already had an apron on.

"Of course! You were my partner in the cooking challenge last year, remember?"

"Oh yeah!" of course DJ remembered; Chris had said their pasta was perfect, and that had been a big reason why their team won the challenge.

Bridgette grabbed a knife and started chopping the lettuce next to DJ while he chopped the tomatoes. _We make a good team, _he mused. _Wait, what? Come on, DJ, she's going out with your best friend!_

"So... how'd that talk with Geoff go?"

"Ugh." Bridgette frowned and shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, he says he'll change, but I don't know. Maybe it's time I moved on."

"Really?" DJ said, his voice cracking like it usually did when he was nervous/excited. "What about, um, Ezekiel? You know, cause it seemed like he had a crush on you last season, so..."

Bridgette laughed. "DJ, I've been here longer than you. I've got the lowdown on everyone, and Ezekiel hooked up with Izzy a couple weeks ago."

"Really? But I thought she was dating Owen?"

She shrugged "Well, you know Izzy. She's crazy."

"Poor guy. He's gonna be bummed." DJ said, feeling sorry for his friend. Still, it was nice that Home-School found someone to love, especially after the crap he got from the girls last season.

"Yeah." Bridgette said distractedly, reaching for the paprika. "How many shakes of this in the mayo again?"

"Here, I'll do it." DJ took the paprika from her, and in doing so their hands touched for a moment. "If this stuff gets up your nose, you could have a major sneezing fest."

Bridgette laughed, but was also touched by his genuine care. _What a gentleman, _she thought. _What a... real man._

...

Meanwhile, Gwen was sitting in her room, completely bored out of her mind. When the contestants were kicked off, they were sent stuff from home to put in their rooms. But even surrounded by posters of Linkin Park and Paramore, even while listening to aforementioned bands and reading the latest copy of _Blender,_ she was still bored. Or lonely. Yeah, lonely fit better.

Who knew that the simple act of breaking up with your boyfriend could lose you so many friends? And okay, maybe it hadn't been the best way or the best time, but Trent had been throwing challenges for her. She had to do something!

Gwen went through a mental list of all the contestants to see if any them were hanging out-material... or if they would hang out with her, period. Ezekiel and Izzy didn't seem to hate her, but Gwen didn't want to be a third wheel with those two, who made out more than Geoff and Bridgette used to. Besides, it would have been weird. Gwen remembered how much Owen talked about Izzy on set. Seeing her with another guy when she was so close to Owen... awkward.

Courtney? HA! The girl who hated her guts. Yeah right. Noah? He always hung out with Courtney, and was probably on her side.

Eva? Cody? Geoff? Bridgette? Tyler? Katie? Sadie? TRENT????? No, definitely not Trent. If hanging out with Ezekiel and Izzy would have been awkward, hanging out with her own ex would have super-awkward.

"This sucks." Gwen threw her head down on her pillow and stared at the ceiling. She had a feeling, though, that she was forgetting someone. Who? Wait a second... DJ! Of course! He was basically the only friend she had here. How could she have forgotten him?

Just as Gwen was about to get up, there was a quiet, polite knock on her door. "Can I come in?" A quiet, polite voice said.

"Um... sure." _Who would want to talk to me? Everyone here hates me!_

The doorknob twisted open, and Courtney walked in. "Hi Gwen. Could I talk to you for a sec?"

Gwen glared at her. "I don't know how many times I have to say it. I did not hook up with-"

"That's not what I wanted to talk about." Courtney interrupted. "I wanted to say sorry."

Gwen's mouth hung open. In all the time she had known the C.I.T, she had never heard her say that word. She had heard her say a bunch of other words, practically all the words in the dictionary, but never _sorry._

Courtney sat down on the bed next to her and sighed. "Look, I know everyone thinks I'm a bitter,conceited, bitch now, but I'm not. I mean, I have every reason to be conceited, since I'm a C.I.T, but I'm not." Gwen rolled her eyes, but sat still, and listened as she continued.

"Anyway, Chris paid me to act like that, said that it'd be good for ratings or something. Also, it's pretty fun to act like a brat." she shrugged.

"But what about Duncan?"

"We broke up between seasons. I honestly don't care if you hang out with him, but apparently we're a fan favorite, and jealousy is good for ratings."

"That sucks. how does Noah feel about it?"

Courtney turned to her, one eyebrow raised. "Noah? What does he have to do with anything?"

"Well, you guys are going out now, right?"

Courtney crossed her arms and huffed, turning away. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean! There is nothing between Noah and I!" however, Gwen swore she saw a blush forming on the girl's cheeks.

"Um, okay." Gwen really didn't feel like pushing the subject, since Courtney was obviously in denial. "Hey, do you want to hang out later? Maybe go to the pool?" The idea that someone on the film lot actually didn't hate her excited Gwen. Here was a chance for Gwen to have someone to hang with. Plus, if she was friends with Courtney, she would be friends with Noah by association, and then...

"That's actually one of the reasons I wanted to apologize now." Courtney smiled sadly. "I won't get another chance. You see, Chris is putting me back on the show to increase drama by being the new villain. Apparently the story is that I filed a lawsuit against the show, or whatever."

"Oh." Gwen said, disappointed. This had been her one real chance for a girlfriend, and she was leaving the next day. Voting herself off didn't help her karma like she thought it would.

Courtney got up and walked to the door. "Good luck, Gwen." she said "Oh, and don't hate me for the way I'm going to act on the show. I need that money for a good college. Scholarships don't just fall off of trees, you know."

"Kay." Gwen said, trying to smile. "Have fun."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Doubtful." she turned and walked out. She closed the door behind her, but fortunately, Courtney is quite loud, so Gwen could hear her talking outside.

"Ow!"

"Hey Court."

"Were you spying on me, Noah?"

"No, I just lost my contact."

Gwen could practically hear Courtney roll her eyes. "Yeah right. If you wore contacts, I would know. My lawyers have a file on everyone in the competition, you stalker!"

"Oh yeah, and having files on everyone isn't being a stalker at all."

"Ugh, I can't believe you! What did you hear?"

"Only that you're going back to the show, and you act like a brat for money."

"When you say it like that, it sounds stupid."

"Okay, say it so it doesn't sound stupid."

"Whatever, I have to go pack."

"You can drop the bitch act, you know. Want to blow off packing and get a smoothie?"

Courtney's next word was said with a smile in her voice. "Sure." Gwen heard the sounds of Noah and Courtney's voices, but they were starting to get distant. She opened her door and peeked out. The two preps were walking towards the elevator, holding hands and laughing. Gwen watched longingly until they disappeared.

_It must be nice to have someone to hold your hand... _the sad, romantic part of Gwen's brain thought.

_Oh, stop being such a girl. _the rational, cynical part of her brain said. As you probably know, this side dictated Gwen more often than not. And she had arguments with herself often. _You just broke up with your boyfriend. Besides, you should just focus on getting through the rest of the season without losing anymore friends!_

It wasn't hard which side to pick. Gwen rolled her eyes at "Romantic Gwen," who was still protesting quietly. _Whatever. I'm going to find DJ._

_..._

It didn't take a brain surgeon to know where DJ was. After all, cooking was his passion. And there was a full service kitchen not far from the Aftermath set, open to the losers for free use, unless they burned it down. And since Izzy was back, that was a possibility. Thankfully, making out with Ezekiel seemed to distract her from any thoughts of pyro. Thank God.

Gwen wasn't at all surprised to find DJ making sandwiches when she walked in, but she was surprised at who was laughing and cooking with him.

"DJ? Bridgette?" Gwen said, talking more to herself than to them. Still, they heard her anyway.

"Gwen!" DJ said, his face lighting up. "What's up? Wanna taste test a sandwich? They're mama approved!"

Gwen smiled at her friend, but couldn't help letting her eyes flicker over to Bridgette, who didn't look as happy to see her. Big surprise there. Bridgette had been one of her best friends last season, but one Gwen had broken up with Trent, she had turned her back on her, just like so many of Gwen's friends this season. Maybe it was something like Courtney, where she was being paid to treat her this way. Gwen could only hope.

"Sure." she picked up a sandwich and took a bite, closing her eyes and savoring the flavors. "Wow, this is really good you guys." she added the plural for Bridgette's sake, hoping for a smile, a nod, _anything _to signify they were still friends. But there was nothing.

As Gwen ate the rest of the sandwich, an awkward silence fell over the three kids. Finally, Bridgette spoke up, making Gwen jump.

"So, Gwen, what brings you down here?" she said it with a smile, but there was an under layer of venom in her voice and smile that made Gwen shiver.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just bored I guess. There's not really a lot to do here."

"It can't help that no one here likes you, right?" Bridgette said in a joking tone, but again, there was a hidden bite to her words that confused Gwen.

"Well, not everyone. I just had a very civil conversation with Courtney." Gwen retorted, feeling proud. "And then there's DJ, of course." Gwen looked up at the big guy, who smiled at her. This didn't go unnoticed by Bridgette.

She laughed humorlessly "Courtney? But she was booing you from the second you got on the stage!"

_Why am I doing this? _Bridgette thought. _I'm acting like... like... Heather! That's not me! _But for some reason, she couldn't keep from tearing the poor goth down. Maybe it was because of how bad she felt for Trent. Maybe. But maybe it was also because of the way Gwen and DJ were smiling at each other, and acting all buddy-buddy. _But I can't be jealous! DJ and I are just friends! So why do I care if he's friends with Gwen, too?"_

Gwen glared at her old friend. "Maybe she was just pretending to be a Heather clone, while some just do it naturally."

DJ looked between the two glaring girls. The tension in the air was so thick, he felt like he was choking on it. He had to get out of there.

"Okay, so um... look, all the sandwiches are done! I'll just take them to the others now. Bye!" DJ grabbed the tray of sandwiches and hurried out.

Bridgette turned away. "I've got to go too." she started to walk, but Gwen grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Hold on. What is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?"

Bridgette whirled around, a glare set on her face. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with _you? _DJ's a good guy, and you shouldn't just use him as your rebound!"

Gwen's mouth fell open. She had never been more shocked in her life. "What?! Where did that come from!?"

"Ooh, don't try to play dumb with me. You were all over him. Come on, Gwen, you just broke up with Trent!"

"I know! No one will let me forget!" Gwen said, starting to get angry. "Besides, DJ's my friend. If anyone's using him for rebound, it's you!"

This time, it was Bridgette whose mouth was agape. "Me? That's crazy, I'm going out with Geoff!"

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Oh please. Even Lindsay could see that you two are teetering on the edge. You know that's it's gonna be over soon, so you're trying to set up a new potential boyfriend as soon as possible."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Is it?"

"Alright, stop!" Bridgette yelled. "Look, this is getting insane. I mean, we're friends Gwen. Look at us!"

"I know. Look, I don't like DJ. I don't even know why you'd think that. I barely talked to him."

"I don't know." Bridgette started rubbing her eyes. "I guess I'm just a little worked up with the whole Geoff thing. I'm sorry. It's just- DJ's a really great guy, and I don't want to see him get hurt."

"But I-" Gwen started, but Bridgette just turned and walked out, leaving Gwen in the kitchen, alone.

* * *

Alright, before you rant to me about it, Courtney's SUPPOSED to be OOC. She's being paid to act the way she does- which is another one of my theories for TDA Courtney.

Is it just me, or does Bridgette seem like a bad guy? Well, she's not. Keep in mind that girls can get really catty over guys, and though they don't know it yet, Gwen and Bridgette are starting to fall for DJ and his manly charms.

Review and vote!


	2. Ocean's Eight or Nine

Hi guys! It's been awhile, but to be fair, I was working on a story that required a lot of attention all last month. So anyway, I'm back, and now, here's chapter two!

By the way, as of right now Bridgette is winning the votes 16 to 14. It's been really close all the way through, and now I'm really excited to see who you guys choose him to be with at the end.

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

* * *

The next day, the losers gathered outside to see Courtney off. Some, like Eva and Geoff, were envious that she got to return instead of them. Some, like Bridgette and Gwen, were happy that she could get a chance, even though Gwen knew that it wasn't really what she wanted. Others were happy for a different reason; they wanted her to leave. And one, known as Noah, wasn't envious or happy, he was just going to miss her.

"Bye Courtney," Noah said, grabbing her hand. "Oh, and when Duncan tries to woo you with his bad boy charms, just remember that your egghead is back here waiting for you." Bridgette smiled. Courtney always called Noah "my egghead," though she would deny it if anyone brought it up.

Courtney smiled. "Will do. I'll also kick him in the groin, just for you." she gave him a quick hug, and turned to her limo. She stopped, as if contemplating something, then turned back around, grabbed Noah's head, and kissed him.

Everyone gasped. Even though they had all known that Courtney and Noah were dating, neither had actually kissed the other, or made any show of affection. Then again, with Chris eager to break up any signs of happiness the contestants had, that was probably a good move.

"Alright, break it up!" Chef yelled, dragging one prep away from the other. "Save the lip-locking for the cameras, Chris's orders!"

The ex-competitors waved as the limo disappeared into the distance. When they started returning indoors, Gwen approached DJ.

"Well that was... weird." the goth commented, falling into stride with her friend.

"Yeah, but I gotta admit, it was pretty sweet." Gwen rolled her eyes. Apparently Chef's training hadn't worked, because DJ was still as soft as a marshmallow. But he wouldn't be him if he wasn't.

"So Deej, I was wondering... do you wanna go mini golfing this afternoon?" There was a mini golf course nearby that was open to the teens for use. While Gwen hated mini golf, she knew DJ loved it, and he was the only one here who wanted to hang with her.

DJ smiled. "Sure! What time?"

"I don't know... how about three?"

"Sure, I'll meet you there." the big guy leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. "Later, Gwen." he walked into the hotel.

"Later." she replied, rubbing her cheek and smiling. She had no idea why, but she felt all tingly inside. She had never felt this way before... though it was probably something in the omelet she had for breakfast.

Still, a kiss on the cheek _and _hanging out?

Gwen: 1 Bridgette: 0

...

As she sat by the pool, Bridgette felt truly lonely for the first time in her life. Courtney was gone, DJ was nowhere to be found, and Geoff... well, Geoff was one of the last people she wanted to see.

"Hey, Bridge!"

Unfortunately, she was the only person he wanted to see.

The surfer girl forced a smile and waved to him. "Hi Geoff." She said, groaning inwardly as he sat down next to her.

"So babe, I haven't seen you since yesterday. Want to get down to our usual business?" He wiggled his eyebrows in a way he probably thought was sexy. Bridgette felt like throwing up.

"Um, sure." She replied. No matter how much she was repelled by him, (something she had never felt before with Geoff), he was still her boyfriend, who had promised to return to his old self. And Bridgette was a large believer in giving people the benefit of doubt, especially if it was someone you were in love with. Or supposed to be in love with.

As Geoff and Bridgette began making out, Bridgette let her mind wander, as she found herself doing a lot during her recent make-out sessions with Geoff. Usually, she thought about surfing or being home, but today her brain was actually thinking about being kissed. But instead instead of her blond boyfriend, the boy kissing her was tall, kind, with dark skin and a white hat...

"Wait, stop!" She jumped up from under Geoff, unable to believe what had been going on in her head. Was she really thinking of kissing DJ? That was impossible! DJ was her friend and nothing else. Right?

"What's wrong babe?" Geoff seemed to be both impatient and slightly concerned at the same time. _DJ would never be impatient with me_...She shook her head, trying to get rid of the thoughts inside it.

"Nothing, I'm fine. I'm just, uh, not in the mood today. How about later?" Before he could answer, she quickly kissed him on the cheek and ran inside. She didn't see Geoff staring after her sadly, wondering what had happened to them.

...

For the second day in a row, Bridgette found herself wandering the halls with her hands stuffed in her hoodie pocket. What was happening? Three weeks ago, she had been convinced that Geoff was the one. But know, after his changed personality and the emptiness of their kisses, she wasn't so sure. And now, somehow, DJ was a part of this, at least for her. But why? Sure, she liked DJ, who wouldn't? He was kind, generous, and he made a mean sandwich. But she had never thought of _like _liking him, or of kissing him!

"Bridgette?"

The surfer looked up, not realizing that she had been looking at the floor, or that she had walked into the kitchen, where DJ was surrounded by what looked like pastry ingredients.

"Oh, hi Deej!" Bridgette said, smiling. Though moments ago she had felt awkward thinking about DJ, she felt totally comfortable now that they were face to face. "What's up?"

He shrugged. "Not much. Just cooking some more. These sandwiches are becoming really popular!"

"Of course they are, they're delicious!" She stood next to him, watching as he chopped up ingredients with amazing speed and focus. "So, I was wondering, do you want to hang out later?"

DJ frowned. "Sorry. I'm going mini-golfing with Gwen at three."

Bridgette just stood there, letting the words sink in. Gwen and DJ, alone, on a mini-golf course? The nearby mini-golf course was the number one spot for dates among the castmates: Ezekiel and Izzy had gone on their first date, it was rumored that Noah and Courtney's first date was there as well, even Bridgette had gone there once after she convinced Geoff that they should do something besides make out. Bridgette knew the meaning behind the place, and she knew that Gwen knew as well. DJ, however, seemed to be oblivious to the fact that if he and Gwen went mini-golfing, everyone would believe they were dating. So logically, Bridgette had to do something... not because she didn't want DJ and Gwen to go out, but because she hated rumors. What? It's true!

"Ooh, sounds like fun! Maybe Geoff and I could come, you know, make it a double date."

"But Gwen and I aren't..."

"No, of course not. I mean as friends."

"But wouldn't it be awkward... because you and Geoff, you know..." He had difficulty getting out the words, but Bridgette knew what he meant.

"Make out all the time?" DJ nodded. "Don't worry about that. Geoff is smart enough to know that you don't make out in public." She said as convincingly as possible, since she had no idea if Geoff would try to make with her or not in front of others. Heck, they had plenty of times before, that's what got them kicked off the show.

DJ smiled. "Okay, sure. Meet us at the course at three?"

"Sure. See you later!" She said, walking out of the kitchen. Almost as soon as she left, a something heavy fell on her and knocked her to the ground.

"Sorry Bridgette." Ezekiel's familiar accent rang in her ears as he helped her up. Izzy appeared from around a corner, frowning.

"Zekey! You weren't supposed to fall on the victim! How will you ever be a spy one day?"

"I'm sorry Izzy," the prairie boy said as his girlfriend approached him, "I lost my balance, eh."

"It's E-Scope!"

Meanwhile, Bridgette, watching this exchange, felt confused. Not a shocking feeling with Izzy nearby.

"Um, so why were you on the ceiling?"

"Oh, well Zekey and I saw you and DJ talking, and I wanted all the juicy details if you guys started making out!"

All color drained from Bridgette's face, and she whipped her head around in case DJ was listening. Thankfully, they were far enough from the kitchen to be out of his hearing.

"T-that's crazy! I'm going out with Geoff..."

Izzy laughed. "Oh yeah! Well, my blind uncle whose a surgeon could see that you two are gonna break up soon. Just the other day I said to my Zekey, 'Zekey, my blind uncle whose a surgeon could see that Geoff and Bridgette are gonna..."

"Okay, I get it." Bridgette interrupted her before she could get to the breaking up part.

"Tell her aboot your idea, eh." Ezekiel whispered to Izzy, though Bridgette could still hear it.

"What idea?"

Izzy turned to her. "Oh, well you see, we heard about you and Geoff going on a double date with Gwen and DJ- did not see that coming, by the way- and we wanted to make it a triple date!"

Bridgette shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I'm not sure that-"

"Come on! It's been so long since E-Scope and Zekey went on a triple date!"

"We've never gone on a triple date, eh."

"Details, my Zeke, details. Besides," Izzy leaned in closer to Bridgette. "you'll need moral support from friends if Gwen and DJ _are _planning on hooking up. After all, you know only couples go to the golf course."

Izzy linked arms with Ezekiel and skipped away, leaving Bridgette to consider what she said.

...

Contrary to Bridgette's belief, Gwen did not know about the meaning behind going to the golf course with a guy. It was a little foolish of Bridgette to think that she would; Gwen had only recently arrived at this upgraded Playa de Losers. Foolish, but understandable: words that often describe what a girl believes and does when she falls for someone.

At exactly 3:00, Gwen headed to the golf course, ready to swallow all of her pride and play a pointless game with someone she cared about. However, when she got to the opening where she and DJ had arranged to meet, she found that DJ wasn't the only one waiting for her.

At the sign announcing the name of the course, was an eager DJ, an excited Izzy, a confused Ezekiel, an angry Geoff, and Bridgette, whose true emotions couldn't be seen behind her peaceful smile.

Oh crap.

"Hey Gwen," DJ said, high-fiving her. "These guys wanted to tag along. Cool?"

Gwen was a bit suspicious about why Bridgette wanted to "tag along", but she simply shrugged. "Yeah. Fine by me." After all, yesterday Bridgette had accused her of liking DJ. She had to prove to her former friend that she wasn't using him for a rebound. Still, she felt a little disappointed that it wasn't just her and DJ. But she pushed the feeling aside as the group went to retrieve their golf balls and clubs,two words that made Geoff laugh like an idiot. Gwen offered Bridgette a sympathetic smile. Bridgette gestured to Geoff and rolled her eyes, smiling back at her.

Huh. Maybe things between them weren't so bad after all.

"Bridge, I still don't know why you dragged me here," Geoff complained for the umpteenth time, "Couldn't we, you know, be doing something a bit more... interesting?"

"If by interesting you mean making out, than no."

"Aw, come on! You've been holding out on me for days!"

Gwen winced; she could see why everyone was placing bets on when Geoff and Bridgette would break up.

The first hole of the golf course was straight forward and simple; you simply had to hit the ball straight to get in the hole. Easy enough.

"Okay, so I just hit the ball with the metal stick and try to get in the hole, right?" Ezekiel asked Izzy. It appears they don't have many golf courses in the country. Go figure.

"Sure, that's the boring way to play it. But _this _is how we make it fun!" Izzy placed ball down and swung her club as hard as she could, whacking the ball and some of the fake grass clean off the ground. The little green ball flew over to the next course, right into Geoff's head.

"Ow!" He yelled, rubbing the space where the ball had hit him. "That's just great! Look at my hair! It took me four hours this morning to get it perfect!"

"You're the one whose rubbing it and making it worse, eh." Ezekiel pointed out. Geoff simply glared at him.

After that, despite Geoff sulking and muttering about his hair, everyone else had a good time. Izzy was able to get Ezekiel into her way of playing mini-golf, (thank goodness they were the only ones there) and, to Gwen's surprise, she and Bridgette were joking and laughing like they did last season, almost like the Aftermath and their conversation in the kitchen never happened. As for DJ, who was quite oblivious to the two friends who had fought about him yesterday, enjoyed helping the others get hole in ones with his strength and prowess at the game. Even Geoff loosened up a bit, smiling and joking like the boy that Bridgette remembered and missed. By the end they had stopped keeping score; they were just teens having fun with their friends.

...

By the time they returned to the resort, the sky was dark, as they had stopped for pizza afterward. Izzy and Ezekiel went with the other non-participants to see who was arriving tonight; the first episode after an Aftermath is always an elimination. Geoff joined, as he felt that it was his duty as host to greet whoever had been voted off. This left Bridgette, DJ, and Gwen standing together in front of the hotel.

Bridgette was the first to speak. "Thank you guys so much. That was a lot of fun." She gave DJ a hug, and then gave Gwen one as well. Thought somewhat surprised, the goth hugged her back, feeling relieved that they were friends again.

After Bridgette left to join Geoff, DJ turned to Gwen. "Hey, thanks for inviting me. I had lots of fun today."

She smiled at me. "Me too." She and DJ hugged and went their separate ways. There was no kiss on the cheek this time, but Gwen didn't really feel like keeping score anyway.

Meanwhile, as the limo pulled up, Izzy and Ezekiel were holding hands, giggling as Ezekiel twisted some of her hair around his finger. However, the the car door opened, Izzy let go of his hand and stepped forward, looking serious (and scared) for the first time in... well, a really long time.

"Owen."

...

During and after Owen's arrival, Gwen sat in her room, drawing idly on her sketchpad as she thought about the day, and how much fun she'd had with DJ, Bridgette, Izzy, Ezekiel, and heck, even Geoff for a while. For the first time since she got there, things for Gwen were going perfectly.

So you know it can't last long.

She heard someone knock quietly on her door. "Come in." She said, not bothering to look up. When they came in and she did look up, she realized that there must not be something as a perfect day.

"Trent."

* * *

Ooh, the drama! I love it. By the way, I'm sure some of you are wondering why Bridgette was so nice. Well, you see, one of the huge inner conflicts for these girls is going to be going after the same guy while still wanting to be friends. That's what Bridgette's starting to do. And ah, poor Geoff. He's not the villian in this story, but I'm portraying the horrible Geoff from most of season two; he will redeem himself and turn back to the Geoff we love, don't worry

What's going to happen between Gwen and Trent. What drama awaits Izzy, Owen, and Ezekiel? And who will DJ choose? Find out all but the last one next time on Behind the Secenes!

(P.S.- vote on the poll on my profile for who you want him to be with!)


	3. One Million Bucks BC

Hey guys! Here's another update in case anyone's reading this story, which it seems only a few people are... I mean, I know it's not that good, but I expected at least a few more reviews on this. Ah well. as the Rolling Stones said, you can't always get what you want.

An update on the poll: Bridgette is winning 20 to 14. I'm honestly a little disappointed. I don't mind if Bridgette eventually wins this thing, but I wanted it to be closer, so even I don't know who wins until the very end. But eh, see above at Rollind Stones reference.

And so, on with the chapter! I know I sounded like a downer above, but I am excited for this chapter!

**Disclaimer: **Not mine!

* * *

Gwen blinked, still unable to comprehend the situation. Trent, her ex-boyfriend, was standing in her doorway. The two hadn't interacted, besides him saving her from piranhas, since the breakup that seemed to dictate Gwen's whole life now. What was he doing here when he had wheel barrows of fan mail to read?

"Hey," Trent started, looking completely comfortable. "Can we talk for a sec?"

"Um, sure." Gwen said, not feeling comfortable at all. She scooted over on her bed, patting the space beside her. "So, what's up?"

"Well, we never got a chance to talk... you know, about the breakup."

"Oh!" Of course that's why he's here; for what other reason would he want to see her? "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

The two ex-lovers sat on Gwen's bed for several minutes, not saying a word. Gwen was about to ask if he actually had anything to say, but Trent finally spoke up:

"I'm sorry I acted crazy." he looked at her, searching for a response. Gwen shrugged.

"No, it's okay. I overreacted."

He fell back on the bed, sighing. "I guess we both kinda screwed up, huh?"

"Yeah."

The silence returned for another minute or so. _This is so weird, _Gwen thought. _We used to talk all the time. Now it's like we have nothing to say to each other._

_That tends to happen when you dump someone on international TV, Einstein. _The cynical voice in Gwen's head reminded her.

_Shut it. I don't need this from myself._

_Weirdo._

Trent's voice brought her back from her internal argument. "I hate this."

"Hate what?"

"This. This awkwardness. Why can't we just be friends again?"

She sighed. "You don't know how much I'd like that."

He looked at her in a surprised way. "Really?"

"Yeah."

He smiled, reaching out a hand. "Alright. This might not be easy, but we can try. Friends?"

Gwen took his hand and shook it. "Friends. It's not like we'd get together again anyway."

Trent laughed. "True. And actually, I kinda... well, there's someone..."

Gwen raised her eyebrows. "Wait a second. You like someone?" He nodded. "Wow, you move on fast. Who is it?"

Trent blushed and mumbled something. "What?" Gwen asked, craning forward.

"L-Lindsay." He said, barely raising his voice. "I like Lindsay."

"Lindsay?" Gwen burst out laughing. "You do know she's taken, right?"

"Actually, she and Tyler broke up awhile ago."

"Seriously?" Trent nodded. "Jesus. I really need to get with the flow here."

He laughed. "What about you? I heard you and DJ were at the golf course yesterday. Spill."

Gwen blushed, her snow white skin turning cream."There's nothing to spill," she said in a steady, cold tone. "DJ and I are just friends!" Her voice turned into a snap on the last words. Maybe it was uncalled for, but Gwen was getting sick of people assuming her friendships with guys are more. First Duncan, now DJ? Heck, back home people had thought she and her friend Reaper were together. ( Which made Marilyn quite jealous for awhile.)

Trent put his hands up in front of his face, in sort of a 'whoa, whoa' gesture. "Okay, okay. Listen, I'm gonna go now. Cody's arranging a Mario Karttournament for all the guys. See you later?" He held out his hand, and Gwen took it, giving it a firm shake.

"Sure."

...

A few minutes after Trent left, Gwen walked through the hallways, feeling uncharacteristically bouncy and happy. Now that things with Trent were resolved, she could move on and feel better, and maybe even find someone new.

_But NOT DJ, _she thought, remembering Trent's words about him and her, _why can't people just accept that we're friends? I mean, it's not like I- _"OW!"

Gwen's thoughts were cut off by a small body crouched over in the middle of the hallway, making her trip. The goth groaned as soon as she saw the curly red hair and green clothes.

"I won't even ask." She got up and continued walking until she heard a muffled sob behind her.

"Izzy? Are you crying?"

The redhead lifted her head; her face was void of tears. "Huh? No, I'm just practicing my rabbit call!"

"You are aware that rabbits don't make any sounds, right?"

"That's what the rabbits want you to think!"

Gwen sighed; there was no point in arguing with her. "Well can you do it somewhere else? You almost broke my ankle."

The crazy girl beamed. "I know, right? You were so busy thinking about your love boodle DJ that you didn't see me. It's the perfect hiding spot!"

"One, DJ is not my love whatchamacallit," Gwen glowered, "Second, why do you need to hide in the middle of the frigging hallway?"

Izzy's eyes widened, and for once she looked completely calm and serious. "I'm hiding from Owen. He keeps trying to talk to me and make out with me. And now I can't find my Zekey!"

Izzy buried her head back into her arms, and Gwen kneeled down and patted her on the shoulder while thinking of what to say. "Um, there there. It'll be okay." Obviously this wasn't helping.

"Okay, who do you like more? Owen or Ezekiel?"

Izzy lifted her head; her eyes actually looked a bit watery now. "Izzy loves her Zekey, and no one else!"

"Alright, so tell Owen that you just want to be with Ezekiel."

"Are you crazy!?" Izzy yelled, startling the goth. "Oh wait, that's what my therapist said before he went to the loony bin."

"What-" Gwen started, then shook her head. "Never mind. How am I crazy?"

"I can't tell Owen about Zekey and me! As far as he knows, me and him are still together."

The goth gaped at her. "So you've basically been cheating on Owen for the past two weeks?!" To Gwen, this was the nuttiest thing Izzy had ever done. Owen was her friend, and he _really _loved Izzy. And she had hooked up with Ezekiel behind his back!

Izzy shied away from Gwen and started to quiver. "I don't know! We never officially dated... we were like friends who made out sometimes! I don't want to hurt him, I just... I don't know!" Izzy actually began crying now, and Gwen regretted yelling at her; she looked so small, like a scared little kid.

"Alright, alright, ssh, it's okay!" She patted the redhead on the shoulder. "Look, why don't you keep looking for Ezekiel and talk to him. Then if you see Owen, explain what you just said to me."

Izzy's head sprung up, and her eyes were suddenly dry. "That's great! E-Scope's going to be with her Zekey! Thanks Grim!" Izzy jumped up and sprinted to the elevators at the end of the hallway before Gwen had time to blink. She simply shook her head; that girl was nuts.

...

Meanwhile, Bridgette was in the kitchen, making snacks for the Mario Kart tournament. Usually during non-elimination episodes, Cody liked to have a different video game tournament, both to keep themselves entertained and to cheer up whoever had been voted off last. Usually it was DJ who made the food by himself, but when Bridgette had arrived early this morning to surprise him with her help, he wasn't there. It was now noon, and he still wasn't there, even though the games were beginning in half an hour. Bridgette was starting to get worried about her friend.

_Maybe I should go look for him, _she thought, _But everyone is counting on me to make the food._

Just as she was about to take the food out to the others, DJ rushed into the kitchen, panting.

"DJ? Are you alright?" Bridgette asked, placing her hand on his shoulder while he regained his breath.

"Alarm clock... went off late... Cody said... you were here..."

"Your alarm clock went off late, so you rushed down here to make the food, but Cody told you I was already here and you came anyway."

DJ simply stared at her. "Wow. You're good."

She shrugged. "Thanks. I try."

DJ glanced around his friend at the counter. Stacked upon it were platters of food; cheese and crackers, mini sandwiches, cupcakes, and even pigs in a blanket. DJ stared at it all, his mouth hanging open.

"Y-you made all this?" he asked, obviously dumbfounded. "It smells so good!"

"What, are you saying you didn't think I could cook?" Bridgette teased. "Well, since you couldn't help make it, can you help me take it out?"

"Wait a second. How do I know that the food's good enough?" He started teasing her right back. He swiped a pig in a blanket from a dish and popped it in his mouth.

"Hey! That was perfectly organized in a smiley face position!" Bridgette yelled, running up to stop him. However, she ran so fast that she couldn't stop before she rammed into DJ and knocked him to the ground, falling on top of him as well.

The two of them stared at each other for a few moments, their faces turning bright red. Finally, DJ broke the awkward silence.

"So, um, why don't we get the food out?"

"Oh yeah, okay." Bridgette stuttered and lifted herself from the compromising position. She put her hand out to help DJ up, and he took it, holding onto it for a few seconds too long after he was up.

"Why don't we, uh, not talk about this again?" DJ suggested, finally taking his hand from hers. Bridgette smiled.

"Talk about what?"

DJ smiled too, and they continued arranging the food, laughing and talking and, true to their word, forgetting about falling on top of each other.

Little did they know that Geoff had been peeking through the doorway, and had watched the whole thing. And he wasn't quite as ready to forget.

...

"Hello residents of Playa de Losers! Welcome to the Mario Kart tournament of the century!" Cody said in a game show announcer voice. "Prepare for awesomeness!"

"Get on with it!" Eva yelled from the couch. Cody winced and covered his private parts in fear.

"Anyway, since Chris cheaped out on video game controllers, only two can play at once." He announced, "Let's see... Owen, want to go first?"

"Sure!" Owen exclaimed. Though today hadn't really been very good so far, what with Izzy missing and all, Owen was the kind of person who always saw the bright side of things. "Who will challenge me!? Noah?"

"Bite me, Sunshine." Noah grumbled from behind his book. He had been much crankier than usual since yesterday morning. Though no one would bring it up to his face, they knew what, or who, was the cause. One hint; bossy, brunette, and not here anymore.

"Okay, um... anyone?"

On the couch with the other losers, Ezekiel's head lay on his hand, which was propped on the arm chair. Just like Owen, he hadn't had a good day, and it was for the same reason: Izzy. He had been looking for her all day, to no avail. After Owen's arrival last night, Izzy had run off somewhere, and now Ezekiel was alone and depressed. And it was all Owen's fault.

Now granted, Ezekiel was not a vengeful person. As far as he was concerned, Owen was a nice guy, albeit a bit gross, but he was still his friend. His friend who was trying to take away his girlfriend, though he didn't know it. And there lay Ezekiel's problem.

During his brief time on the island, he hadn't been well-liked at all. And after, at Playa de Losers, he still had no friends, even after abandoning his sexism. However, Owen was nice to him, just like he was nice to everybody, and Ezekiel wasn't just going to take that granted. He hadn't known Izzy very well then, but when she and Owen hooked up, she was glad for him.

And then, in the first few days of _Total Drama Action_, he had started hanging out with Izzy, and he saw why Owen loved her: she was cute, intelligent and made life exciting. Before he knew what was happening, Izzy announced that he was her boyfriend, and Ezekiel didn't object. and he didn't regret it. Still, sometimes he thought about how he was stabbing his friend in the back, though he always pushed this to the back of his mind. But now, with Owen here now, he couldn't.

And it didn't make anything easier that Izzy wasn't around. He had so wanted to talk to her, to find out if they were still together. Now he had no idea, and he was starting to think she may be avoiding him on purpose... like she didn't want him anymore now that Owen was here.

"Ezekiel?"

The prairie boy looked up; everyone was looking at him expectantly.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to play Mario Kart with me?"

"What's Mario Kart, eh?"

Around him, the other boys gasped in horror. "You don't know what Mario Kart is?" Cody asked with shock.

"How do you live?!" Tyler cried. Next to him, Eva rolled her eyes.

"Come on man, I'll teach you." Owen handed him a controller. "Just try to follow along. Man, Izzy and I used to play this together all the time. She said I was a god."

For a second, Ezekiel saw red. _His _Izzy? Suddenly he didn't care if Owen was his friend; he didn't want to her about him with _his _Izzy.

"I think I'll try it on my own, eh." Ezekiel said. Around him, the cast mates oohed.

"Gutsy, don't you think?" Tyler asked, nudging Eva. The tough girl growled.

"Don't touch me." She hissed, though there was a slight blush on her face.

The game started. Owen chose to play as Mario, and Ezekiel, who didn't know any of the characters, chose Princess Peach with some encouragement from a giggling Cody.

"Woo-hoo!" Owen screamed as he jumped over an obstacle. Ezekiel leaned forward, trying desperately not to crash into anything.

"Gee, Homeschool's a natural." Ezekiel heard Noah mutter. In frustration, he pushed a button on the controller. Suddenly his car started going at hyper speed until it crossed the finish line. The only sound in the room was the TV. Everyone else was quiet. That is, until Owen spoke up.

"B-but, how? Noooo!!!!!!" Owen cried.

"It's okay buddy. Look, pigs in a blanket!" Cody reassured his friend. As soon as he heard about food, Owen stopped crying

Ezekiel smiled. He felt like he had just won an important battle. And in a way, he had.

Up on the ceiling, Izzy watched Ezekiel beat Owen. How did she get up there? Oh, let's just say this: she'll have a hard time getting the super glue off her skirt. But that's irrelevant.

"Well done, young grasshopper. I have taught my Zekey well." Izzy said in her best Mr. Miyagi voice. However, no one below could hear her.

...

Gwen watched the proceeding game, bored out of her mind. She didn't know how he did it, but somehow DJ had convinced her to watch the games with the others. Cal her crazy, but watching a bunch of boys playing video games didn't excite her. Shocking, right?

"This is officially the most boring thing I've ever done in my life," she commented to DJ, "The Awake-a-thon non withstanding."

"Oh come on Gwen," DJ said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's not that bad."

The goth girl raised an eyebrow. "Really? Explain."

He scratched the back of his head. "Well, um... it's, uh... alright, I'll show you. You and me, next round."

"You're on." Gwen smirked, bumping fists with him.

Once Owen and Ezekiel were done, DJ took the controllers. "You know how to play, right?" he asked, genuinely wanting to know.

"Relax. My brother's almost as big a nerd as Harold. I know what I'm doing." She teased, taking one of the controllers from him. "Let's get this over with."

"That's the spirit!" DJ smiled at her as the game started.

A few minutes, Gwen had to admit to herself; she was having fun. Maybe it was because for the first time since she had arrived here, she was getting along with the others. (Cody was even cheering for her) Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that the game was actually not that bad. Not that she was going to tell DJ that.

Speaking of DJ, the possibility that the reason for her happiness might be him crossed her mind, no matter how she pushed it out. DJ was a nice guy. He had been the nicest to her this season, (besides Duncan). And alright, he wasn't the ugliest guy on the show. But that didn't mean she liked him. Besides, it was just too soon for her to like someone. But Trent liked Lindsay now. He had moved on. Didn't that mean she could too?

"Yes!"

DJ's yell brought her back to what she was doing. While she was thinking, her playing had seriously fallen back, and DJ had just crossed the finish line, making him (and Luigi) the winner.

"Aw, it's okay Gwen." Owen patted her on the shoulder, "You'll get him next time." Gwen smiled and shook off his hand.

"It doesn't matter," she stood up, "I'll admit it- I had fun."

"I knew you would!" DJ picked her up off the ground in a hug. Gwen couldn't remember feeling like this... so happy and carefree. She thought about earlier, and her thoughts about DJ.

_Maybe it is time to move on..._

...

That night, when the tournament was over and most of the former contestants were at dinner, Geoff was sitting by the pool, all alone. The wind ruffled his hair a bit, but right now, he didn't care whether a few strands were out of place,

He was that mad.

He had suspected it for a while now. It was obvious to everyone. He had heard about the bets being placed on when he and Bridgette would break up. He loved Bridgette. She was sweet, and loving, and fun: everything he used to be, and everything he wasn't anymore. But he didn't want to change back; the show got more ratings this way. But he still wanted to keep Bridgette. Surely his own best friend would be on his side about that. But it seemed the rumors were true; there was definitely something going on between Bridgette and DJ.

How did he know? Today, while Gwen and DJ were hugging (and that just proved how much of a womanizer he is), Geoff saw Bridgette glaring at them. He also saw them cleaning up the leftover food together. And lets not forget earlier today, with the falling incident in the kitchen. This, coupled with the fact that Bridgette seemed to be avoiding him lately, and they hadn't made out in days, made him seriously angry at his former best friend.

Speak of the Devil.

...

DJ was taking a walk around the hotel. Though there was a delicious dinner inside, he was still stuffed from Bridgette's pigs in a blanket from earlier. That girl sure could cook.

That was one of the great things about Bridgette; he had so much in common with her. She could cook, she loved animals and the environment; basically, she was his perfect girl.

Not that he would ever take her away from Geoff, who was his best friend on the show. Nor would he ever like Bridgette that way. She was just his friend, as well as one of his favorite girls on the show, and the one who was most like him. His other friend and favorite girl happened to be the complete opposite of him and Bridgette.

Gwen.

Usually, DJ steered clear of mean girls; hence his barely-there interaction with Courtney, Heather, or Eva. But Gwen wasn't mean, though she seemed like it at first glance. She was more; she was kind and smart. Not that Bridgette wasn't smart, she was, but there was something about Gwen's blatant honesty and negativity that intrigued him. But again, he would never steal her away from Trent... even though they were broken up, it was still impolite.

"Hey man."

A voice interrupted his thoughts; he saw Geoff standing in front of him with his arms crossed. Though his words were casual, his tone didn't fit them at all. However, this animosity didn't seem to register in DJ's mind.

"Hey dude, what's up?" He grinned bumping fists with his unenthusiastic friend.

"Not much." Geoff lied. He nodded his head towards a small shack containing pool supplies. "Hey, can we go in there? I want to talk about something."

DJ still seemed oblivious. "Sure." He followed Geoff into the pool house.

Geoff locked the door.

* * *

Dramatic! I'm sorry if the Mario Kart parts weren't that detailed. Truth be told, I only played Mario Kart once at a friend's house, and I don't remember it that well. Still, I tried my best.

I think my personal favorite part of this chapter was DJ's thoughts about the two girls near the end. Just because he says he'll never fall or either of them, doesn't mean he won't!

And so now, Gwen's accepted the idea of possibly liking DJ, Geoff's super jealous, and what's up with Owen, Ezekiel, and Izzy. I'll tell you one thing: Ezekiel and Izzy will have an interesting talk next chapter.

What will happen with that talk? Speaking of which, what will happen with Geoff and DJ? And is something happening between Eva and Tyler? Find out next time! (Probably after Valentine's Day).


End file.
